Good Foundation

The key to great makeup is to have a good foundation to start with. A good foundation begins with taking care of your skin. Yes, everyone has different skin types, but there are 3 basic step that anyone can follow to take care of their skin. CLEANSE, TONE AND MOISTURIZE!

When cleansing your face it is important to be gentle, especially around the eye area because this is the most delicate skin on your face. When cleansing my face I use circular motions to help remove oil, dirt and makeup. I use an oil free cleanser for sensitive skin because my skin tends to be naturally oily and is easily irritated. For cleansing my face I alternate between a cream cleanser and an exfoliating scrub.

Whenever I use a toner or astringent I only use a small amount on a cotton ball or pad. A toner or astringents get deep into your pores to remove excess oil, dirt and makeup. It also helps to prevent future blemishes. Toner or astringent may not always be a necessary step for everyone. It can be drying sometimes so it is important to use as little product as possible. I use it mostly after I have been wearing makeup.

The last step to my daily skin regimen is moisturizer. I use a moisturizer that is oil free and contains an SPF of 15. No matter how fair or dark you are it is important to protect your skin from the sun. When applying moisturizer I only use a small amount because as I have stated earlier my skin is naturally oily. I apply moisturizer to my forehead, brows, cheeks and chin. I avoid applying moisturizer to my nose because it is the oiliest part of my face. I also avoid the eye area because this is the thinnest area of skin on the face and would absorb the product and cause my eyes to appear puffy.

Taking care of your skin is the most important step to applying makeup. The more you take care of your skin, the less makeup you will need to apply. This skin care regimen has kept my skin smooth and blemish free. I very rarely have pimples or breakouts. (knock on wood LOL). One last tip: it is a good habit to remove your makeup before going to bed. You can do this by  wither washing your face or using makeup remover wipes. But if you forget every now and then it's not a sin! LOL ;)

One Love

Nikea

Confessions of a Dependent Woman

In this day and age a lot of women claim that they don't need a man to take care of them. They have a job, car, house, make their own money and pay their own bills. That's is a great thing and I don't knock it at all. That's how I want to be one day. There is one thing that is krytonite to the independence of a woman...a man. I can honestly admit that I have become a dependent woman. No, I'm not saying that I need a man and that I can't live without out one, but when you have a man and then lose him it can be a shock to the system. I became use to always having someone there, someone to depend on, someone that is always in my corner no matter what. Now that I don't have that I'm living in a state of shock. Going from a relationship to being single, in my opinion, is a MAJOR mind adjustment. It is especially hard for me because I am a very loving and caring person. I feel like I have so much to give and to have no one to give it to has me feeling backed up in love! LOL. 


I am dealing with an adjustment period because I find myself feeling lonely and unwanted and just in need of attention. I became very dependent on another person. This is not a completely bad thing, but I have to shake this feeling. As humans we will always feel the need to be connected to another human being. It is just in our nature. As I am writing this I am realizing that I need to focus all of the love that I have on myself and make myself better. It would be great to have someone to share my life with, but at this time no one wants to share in my love. Honestly it is very hard to focus on myself when I really want to share it with someone. I just really have to get over my need for companionship. It is more than just physical that I desire, I want and need an emotional connection also.
To all of my DEPENDENT women out there just like me, keep your head up! Take some time to focus on you and love yourself. It is ok to be single for a while. Your love will come or come again, its just taking its time to be just right for you!
I do not have the answers to everything so anyone else please post comments with advice or suggestions on how to cope. We need help and motivation.


One Love.
Nikea

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

I have come to the realization that breaking up with somebody is more than saying, "We aren't together" or "We are no longer friends". Even though those words may be exchanged, you can still be connected to that person. You still think about that person and you may even wonder what they are doing. These are things that no one, including myself wants to admit to.  You think about memories that you shared and time that you spent together. All of this seems to flood your mind as soon as you say "We're done".

When ending an intimate relationship, it is hard to completely break up with that person when you decide to still remain friends. Even though the relationship status has changed, the emotional connections and feelings still remain. In my opinion when you and your ex decided to remain friends you can never completely let go of the feelings and emotions if you continue to be around them. You will always relive the memories and the laughs that you shared together. Its really hard to just be friends with an ex. You truly have to be rid of all of the emotional connections to truly be friends.

Then there are those people that you decide to no longer be friends with. I feel that it is easier to separate yourself from friends because there isn't an intimate physical connection. But it is still a hard connection to break. Especially if you and your friend had a tight bond. Even though you may be mad at that person and the friendship may have ended on bad terms you still think about them and wonder what they are doing.  You may even think about what would have happened if you were still friends and you miss the moments that the both of you shared. I find myself in this very situation right now. There are people that use to be my friend but for one reason or another we fell apart. On one hand you want to mend fences and move forward in a friendship, but on the other hand pride just gets in the way. Restarting a friendship can be weird, awkward, difficult and just plain hard. But if the friendship is worth it both parties will be willing to work through all of the awkwardness. I believe that friendships can be restored because I've experienced it.

These are just my opinions about relationships and friendships. Please comment and give your opinions and stories on the subject matter. I'm open to whatever people have to say.

Go for What You Want

The other night I was watching one of my favorite shows, My Fair Wedding with David Tutera. On this show David, a wedding planner, come in 2 weeks before a wedding and changes the entire wedding! Most of this weddings start off on a low budget, but by the time David gets done the wedding is on the same level as a platinum wedding! It is truly amazing what he can do such a sort amount of time. On the episode that I saw the other night the bride was a fashionista diva, but her wedding was not truly expressing that. By the end of the episode David had planned a fabulous unique runway show style wedding. It was truly amazing to watch! I enjoy watching wedding shows because they give me ideas for my wedding. 
I shared all of this because while I was watching this particular episode. This episode simply inspired me to go for what I want. I came to realize that I have always sold myself short and just settled. This applies to little things such as what type of wedding that I want to have and what major I will pursue in college. I've decided from this day forward to no longer just settle! If I want something I'm going to go for it. If I want to have a $50,000 dollar wedding I will. If I want to be a makeup artist or work in fashion then I'm going to do just that! I'm not going to just settle for the practical or the ordinary anymore.. The bible says the Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein (Psalms 24:1). This let's me know that God owns the entire world and anything I want I can have because I am his child. 
I encourage all who read this chase after they're dreams, goals and aspirations...HARD! NEVER give up and never settle. Don't give up on anything that you want just because it may seem bigger than you or too hard. There is nothing too hard for God! Don't settle for a career you don't really want, a car you don't like or a man that doesn't appreciate you. GO FOR WHAT YOU WANT. Don't give up on your dreams and don't give up on yourself. You can do and have anything you want. It is crazy how an episode of a wedding show inspired and helped me to realize a better way of living. I hope that I have helped and inspired some one else to adapt a better way of living.

Hey There Lonely Girl

Tonight as I lay in my bed I think about how wonderful it would be to have someone to share my time with. I don't mind being alone but I also wouldn't mind the company of a man. It is my belief that it is human nature to want to be around other people. Sometimes I just want to be held or lay my head on someone's shoulder. As humans and as woman especially, I need, we all need that physical connection. Sometimes all it takes is a touch to ignite something in you. A touch can show love, affection, care and so much more. Personally for me, a touch is all I need sometimes. My lonely moments stem from my need for affection and attention. I like to be held and talked to and loved on. When I can't get that...bring on the loneliness! In my lonely moments I try not to focus too much on my lack of a male companion and I try to focus my energy elsewhere Otherwise I get very emotional and cry and focus on the negative, not the positive. So, ladies and gentlemen I'm here to let you know that you are not the only one out there that gets lonely. We all have our moments when we want the presence another human being. My advice for anyone during these lonely moments is to channel your energy into something positive. You can write (like me! :D), listen to music, read, prayer may be necessary (lol), or talk to a friend. I'm sure that there are plenty of other things that can take your mind off of being lonely, those were just a few ideas.  When feeling lonely moments be productive and don't allow this time to go to waste. Also in these moments take sometime to be quiet and allow God to speak to you by reading the Bible or praying. Although you may feel lonely you are never alone because God is always with you!

One Love,
Nikea

This is Me

I finally decided to start a blog. It's nothing serious, and my first entry will be random. I just feel inspired to share and express how I feel about my life and other topics. I feel that I have a lot to say and a lot to share. I am an amateur blogger so I'm sure that my first few blogs may be a little basic, but I am sure that I will grow into an excellent blogger. I'm here to talk about my life as a young single Christian woman. My life includes love, friendships, relationships, happiness, school, makeup, fashion, God, church, family....and maybe a little more. As you read my blog, take what you can from it and enjoy. Until I blog again...

One Love
Nikea